Resilience
- S. A. Gibbs
- May 28, 2017
- 2 min read
Recently I have been watching YouTube videos of individuals, couples and families living fundamentally different lifestyles. Living off the grid, small and mobile houses, no permanent homes, no debt, even no country. Not to over romanticize these lifestyle decisions, I find something extremely compelling and attractive about them. In some ways, it is so American.
In a world that seems to be spinning out of control, I am not surprised by the decisions of a growing number of people who basically opt-out. In addition to the volatility in the world, there is a growing distrust for the increasingly larger institutions that seem to be unaccountable, unresponsive, untrustworthy, and frequently ineffective. Politicians, governments, large corporations, utilities, healthcare, education, and even nonprofits are providing little evidence that our best interest is at the center of their business models.
So, where will this phenomenon lead? Is this an aberration, or a weak signal of something more transformative? I think the later. If I am correct, this phenomenon will explode into a trend that will change everything we have become accustomed to in our lives; how we consume, learn, live, work, vote, love and assimilate. For me, this contemplated transformation is long overdue. It won’t be an easy transformation and it may even become violent at times (already is), which I certainly don’t advocate. People are angry, fed-up, disenfranchised, and scared. This is how nationalistic Presidents get elected. These are volatile ingredients that have the potential to explode. Instead of being attentive to the risks, our gatekeepers seem to be adding more fuel to the smoldering fire.
What we need in our world is more resilience. Although an interconnected world offers the opportunity for greater understanding and empathy, it also offers increasingly fragile systems where a hiccup on one side of the planet can result in devastating impacts on the other side. Even domestically we see the risks associated with big systems, with our energy grid offering a vivid example. This brings me to my situation. My life is far from resilient. Too much debt, too much house, too many things, too much of everything means that a hiccup in my life will bring down the entire deck of cards. And I wonder why I don’t sleep well at night. Something has to change. Contemplating re-booting and redesigning a life that is more disconnected, and free is very exciting. When you cannot make unilateral decisions, you become frustrated and angry when you partner is “not on board.” Am I arrogant to assume that my way is the correct way? Maybe, but its how I believe and I can’t continue to live a life characterized by cognitive dissonance. The lack of resiliency in the world is second only to the absence of resiliency in my life. Something has to give.
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